Good morning and a very warm welcome to you. We invite you to join us after the service for a hot drink and fellowship.

Today we welcome Luke on to the staff team here at St Barnabas. Luke comes to us out of his role in leading the youth ministry team for the Diocese for the last 8 years, and as we know has many talents and skills in a wide range of ministries. Luke and his family will be moving in to the Vicarage in a couple of weeks’ time. Luke has four children and a Rabbit and of course his lovely wife Demelza. I am sure you will all give them a very warm welcome over the next couple of weeks.

A big thank you to everyone that has helped over the last couple of weeks with the painting and gardening at the vicarage,. Don’t worry if you missed out – we will be have a second working be in a couple of weeks.

Its only three weeks until Convergence Camp at Kaiteriteri on starting Friday 17 February through to Sunday 19 February with Bishop Justin Duckworth coming over from Wellington to be our speaker. If you would like to come to camp there is still tent sites. If you are planning on coming out for the day it would be helpful if you let us know for catering purposes.

Saturday 25 February is the date for the Banquet in the Garden mission fundraiser. Put the date in your diary get a group of friends together and come along for a great evening of food, live music and fun.

We are working our way through 1 Timothy over the next couple of weeks. Here is some background to the letter from Paul to Timothy. Who was Timothy?

He was evidently one of Paul’s own converts, as the apostle describes him as his beloved and faithful son in the Lord. Paul on this second visit to Derbe and Lystra, Paul was strongly attracted to Timothy, and seeing his unfeigned faith, and that from a child he had known the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament. He became a co-worker with Paul

He was a resident, and apparently a native, either of Lystra or Derbe, cities which were visited and evangelized by Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:6)

Timothy’s father was a Greek. His mother was a Jewess, but he had not been circumcised in infancy, probably owing to objections made by his father. Timothy’s mother was called Eunice, and his grandmother Lois. Paul mentions them by name in 2 Timothy 1:5